A clamp is a tool useful either for holding two parts together during an assembly operation, e.g. gluing, or for holding one or more pieces in place on a table for machining, that is drilling, cutting, etc. A significant advance in the design and utilization of clamps was the creation of the clamping pliers, most popularly known as Vice Grip® pliers. The Vice Grip® pliers has a first handle that is rigidly connected to a first jaw and a second handle that is pivotably connected to a second jaw with an intermediate link that is pressed past a pivot center point to hold the jaws closed against the workpiece. Since the introduction of the Vice Gripe pliers, many variations of jaw configuration have been developed for specific applications. In all known configurations of the clamping pliers or other types of clamps, the two jaws are symmetrical and linearly opposed to one another to apply the clamping force to the workpiece.
In many cutting operations involving machines, e.g. water jet cutters, band saws, milling machines, etc., it is necessary to clamp the workpiece to the machine table during the cutting operation to improve accuracy and safety. Water jet cutters operate at high rates of water flow generated by pressure of 50,000 psi to 60,000 psi, and are able to cleanly cut through steel plates. When the piece being cut is large enough, the clamping point can be remote from the cutting implement and hold the workpiece securely. When the piece being cut is small, clamping is difficult and the clamp may be cut by the water jet along with the workpiece. Attempting to perform a cutting operation without a mechanical clamp can result in personal injury to the machine operator. Therefore, a need exists for a clamp that is able to securely hold a small workpiece during a cutting operation without the clamp being damaged.